Smith was convicted in Neshoba County in the shooting of Nellie Woodward of Philadelphia while she stood in the carport of her home on Feb. 16, 2010.

Smith was also convicted of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

According to court records, Woodward testified she knew the masked shooter's identity because of a teardrop tattoo under his right eye, which was visible when the crime occurred. She testified that she knew Smith because he had dated her granddaughter.

The Appeals Court on Tuesday rejected Smith's claims that statements he gave investigators should not have been as evidence against him. In one of the statements he confessed to the crime, according to court records.

A Justice Department civil rights investigation has concluded that the Ferguson Police Department and the city's municipal court engaged in a "pattern and practice" of discrimination against African-Americans, according to a U.S. law enforcement official.